Phlox plant named ‘Dophloworo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophloworo’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large light purple-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox x procumbens Lehm.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOWORO’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Aug. 12, 2020, application number 2020/1895. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox x procumbens Lehm and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophloworo’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Phlox plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox x procumbens Lehm identified as code number SB-0001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox x procumbens Lehm identified as code number SB-0042, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophloworo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophloworo’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large light purple-colored flowers with deep reddish         purple-colored centers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Phlox are more uniform than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have light purple-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centers whereas plants of the male parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more upright than and not as         creeping as plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in         flower color as plants of the new Phlox have light         purple-colored flowers with deep reddish purple-colored centers         whereas plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ have light blue-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophloworo’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the end of winter and early spring in 17-cm containers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting rooted young plants and plants were 40 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Second Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox x procumbens Lehm ‘Dophloworo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox x             procumbens Lehm identified as code number SB-0001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox x             procumbens Lehm identified as code number SB-0042, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright to outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit             and relatively slow growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 42 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit             with numerous primary and secondary lateral branches             developing per plant. Length: About 19 cm. Internode length:             About 3 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to horizontal.             Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color, developing:             Close to 142A tinged with close to 47C. Color, developed:             Close to 143A tinged with close to 47B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 7 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire, ciliate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;             semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Hyphodromous.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and             salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral             panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending             on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with             about seven open flowers per inflorescence and about 950             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 38             weeks after planting; plants flower in April and May in the             garden in The Netherlands; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 75A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 18 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.3 cm. Lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Lobe shape:             Obovate. Lobe apex: Emarginate. Lobe margin: Entire;             slightly undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster:             Pubescent; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 75A; towards the throat, close to             77A; venation, close to 82A; color becoming closer to 96B             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 75A; venation, close to 82A; color             becoming closer to 96B with development. Throat: Close to             77A; venation, close to 77A. Tube: Close to 77A; venation,             close to 77A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape.             Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly             deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 143A tinged with close to 187A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 20° from lateral             branch axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color:             Close to 143A tinged with close to 47A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Weak. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle axis.             Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 60A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             145A. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape:             Elliptical. Anther color: Close to 83A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Stigma diameter:             About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 150A. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style color:             Close to 149A. Ovary color: Close to 140A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     temperatures ranging from −35° C. to 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zone 3. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Phlox plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophloworo’ as illustrated and described. 